A Kitten For Your Thoughts
by Sedi
Summary: Kai finds himself having to deliver Rei's Christmas presents to him when he gets sick on Christmas day. The problem is, Kai wants nothing to do with Christmas. Kai/Rei


A Kitten For Your Thoughts  
  
By: Sedi  
  
  
  
^_^ I hate my computer so much that I am happy because I've gone insane again and I'm going to burn it in hell. Yay! Well, I had this story all typed out, but then it somehow got... deleted. So I had to start all over. ~_~;; Since you are reading this now, then obviously I finally got it done. This story is in Kai's P.O.V. (point of view), will contain shounen-ai, and has absolutely nothing to do with the other fic I'm working on, Vampire's Winter. *demonic smile* Smashy time...  
  
  
  
A Kitten For Your Thoughts  
  
Christmas. I snorted as I set down the path towards Tyson's home. I can't believe I am going to Tyson's house for a Christmas party. Christmas is meaningless to me. I spend my previous years alone during this day of hell, and I would have managed fine if I had stayed reserved again today. Don't we see each other enough during training? Obviously every other fucking day isn't enough for Tyson.  
  
But complaining doesn't help anything. I have never complained during training, and I wasn't going to start whining now just because of a few hours with the kiddie squad. Something about each and every one of the Bladebreakers irked me, but I still survive.  
  
Tyson is one day going to become obese, and his big head is going to make him end up in trouble. Max was cheerful, no matter what the situation. If we were all tied up and about to be tossed off a cliff to our deaths, he'd laugh his head off. Kenny is too absorbed with Dizzi to even have a connection with reality. And Rei...  
  
I stopped in the middle of the path and stared up ahead. Rei. Just a few minutes ago I could list about a hundred faults of each of the Bladebreakers, but Rei had somehow gotten knocked out of the list in my mind. I growled and continued walking.  
  
Rei was one of the few who knew where to draw the line and shut up. And for some reason, whenever he laughs at one of my sarcastic remarks, it doesn't anger me anymore. At one time I had to leave the room to keep everyone from seeing me smile. This aura Rei has...  
  
No, I can't think of the Chinese boy now. Rei would only make me weaker. I continued down the path, and could see the dojo up ahead. The "Christmas party" was supposed to start at noon, with just the Bladebreakers. Not even Tyson's grandfather was going to interfer. The party started at noon because it would give everyone else enough time to enjoy Christmas with their family beforehand.  
  
Those imbeciles can't see that they're wasting their time on a trivial matter. They say that Christmas is a time to spend with your family. But you do that every day. Images of Rei suddenly flashed through my mind. It ocurred to me that all of his family was in China, and he would be spending Christmas without any relatives with him.  
  
I shook my head, trying to shake the thoughts out of my mind. The white tiger will live. You don't need any love to stay alive. I walked to the door of the house and entered without knocking. Before, Tyson said I could just enter. That idiot would probably say that to a convict who just got out of prison.  
  
I carefully shut the door behind me and looked around the room. Max and Kenny, who was holding Dizzi, were sitting on the couch discussing beyblades. Tyson's voice was easily distinguishable in the kitchen. In a corner of the room was a Christmas tree, decorated generously with lights, ornaments, and icicles, and on the opposite side of the room there were flames blazing in the fireplace.  
  
The scene looked very welcoming and homely. But I just shrugged it off, like everything else, and leaned against the wall, closing my eyes. I'm not needed here now. I then felt a pair of eyes on me, and Max's voice piped up.  
  
"Why don't you sit with us, Kai?"  
  
"Whatever," I replied. Then I realized someone was missing. "Where's Rei?"  
  
"He should be here soon. Why do you ask?" Max questioned.  
  
Why did I ask?  
  
"I just thought after... this... we could get some training in. No use in wasting today and not training." That was such a lie. They can probably tell, too.  
  
Tyson's head peeked out of the kitchen. "What do you mean 'No use in wasting today'? You can't waste a day when all of us are together on a great Christmas day!"  
  
"Christmas has no moral," I said bluntly. "And we can see each other any day. It's just a waste of time and money, and an excuse to get companies richer."  
  
"Scrooge." Tyson made one of his faces that he thinks insults me. He then looked at Max and Kenny. "Rei just called. He won't be able to make it here because he got sick this morning. Really sick. So he said to just open all of the presents from him and he'll come over some other day when he feels better."  
  
"Aw, poor Rei," Max sadly said. "Hey, I know! Why don't one of us go to Rei's apartment to give our gifts to him? It'll make him feel a bit better, and he'll know that we're thinking of him while we're still having fun. I vote that Kai does it."  
  
"Why the Scrooge? He'll probably throw everything down the gutter as soon as he gets outsi-."  
  
"I would never do such a pathetic act like that," I interjected angrily. "And don't call me Scrooge. Anyway, it'll get me away from you screwballs."  
  
"We don't want you here anyway," Tyson replied, sticking his tongue out at me jokingly. He took a bag, walked over to the tree, and put four wrapped packages. "Lose any of them and you're paying for them, bud!" He handed the bag to me.  
  
I took it and immediatly walked out of the house. The sooner I get away from these Christmas freaks, the better. The apartment complex that Rei lived in wasn't far from here, so it would be a short walk. When I drop these packages off, I can make an excuse not to return to Tyson's and go back home, end of story.  
  
I then heard a pitiful 'mew' behind me. When I stopped and turned around I saw a small kitten stroll up to me. It rubbed up against me, looked up, and mewed again. Ignoring it, I continued walking down the street. After a minute, I looked back and saw that it was following me, only a foot away. Growling, I ran to get away from the furball, but when I looked back, it was still following me. It mewed again.  
  
Slowing down to a walk, I tried to ignore it. But it kepted meowing, which was getting annoying. Finally I picked up the dratted animal and yelled,"Would you leave me alone?" It purred and closed its eyes, falling asleep. Damnit.  
  
I looked around to find a spot where it could stay, but everywhere was covered with snow, so I put it in one of my cargo pockets. I will dispose of it later.  
  
I approached the apartment complex and entered through a door, then went upstairs and knocked on the door to the left. As soon as I did so, I heard a crash coming from inside. What the hell was going on in there? I opened the door, which was luckily unlocked, and ran inside. A groan came from the bathroom, and I walked to the doorway of it.  
  
There was Rei, sitting on the floor, rubbing his head. He was sickly wan, and looked weak and frail.  
  
"You should be resting in bed," I said, a little more coldly than I intended.  
  
Rei looked up at me, alarmed at my presence. "I was looking for kleenex," he sniffled. His voice sounded stuffy, as if his throat was full of rubber. "'N' I tripped over the door..."  
  
I reached down, grabbed Rei's left arm, and pulled him back up. My eyes locked with his dull amber ones for a brief moment, then he looked away. I could tell his cheeks were getting a little flushed.  
  
"Lie back down and I'll find the kleenex for you. You shouldn't have been up."  
  
Rei opened his mouth as if to protest, thought better of it, and stumbled back to his room. I looked in the sink under the cabinet and saw a box of unused kleenex. After ripping the top part off and throwing it away, I entered Rei's bedroom.  
  
It was plain, with only a bed, a nightstand that was by the bed, and a dresser. A picture hung on the wall of the Bladebreakers, Max's father, Tyson's grandfather, and Mr. Dickenson. A few pictures of the White Tigers were scattered around on the dresser.  
  
Rei was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. I set the kleenex box on the nightstand and asked,"Is there anything else you want?"  
  
The raven haired boy shook his head. I held up the bag Tyson gave me. "These are all of the stuff everyone got you for Christmas." I put it on his bed beside him. "They sent me here to deliver it."  
  
Rei partly smiled. "I hope they like the presents I got them... I put them under Tyson's tree yesterday..." He took the packages out of the bag and looked at them, then to my surprise, handed one to me. "This one has your name on it." He smiled at me. "Open it!"  
  
A present? Mine? I stared at it, not sure what to do. I had never gotten a present in my life; not one that I can remember anyway. I looked a the tag. Written on it was To: Kai, From: Tyson, Max, and Kenny. I could help but feel slightly disappointed that Rei's name wasn't on it.  
  
Rei eagerly dived into his gifts and opened the nearest one up. Inside it was an amber sweater that perfectly matched his eyes. He smiled brightly and slipped it on over his pajama shirt. I was quite impressed how perfect it looked on him.  
  
Rei smiled down at the sweater. "This is great! Max always knows the perfect things to get!" He then looked up at me. "Aren't you going to open yours, Kai?"  
  
I frowned down at my package, frustrated. I never had to open a Christmas present like this before. Nothing I ever received was wrapped in paper decorated with snowmen. And I didn't want to make a fool of myself infront of Rei. I won't let my team think of me as a fool.  
  
Slowly I pulled off the tape, careful not to rip anything. I felt Rei's impatient amber eyes on me, and I glanced down at him. Was I doing something wrong?  
  
As if Rei could read my mind, he said,"Don't go so slow, Kai. The paper's going to get thrown away anyway. Rip it to pieces!" He smiled at me again.  
  
How can Rei be so happy when he's sick like this? I looked back down at the package and tore off a piece of the wrapping paper, then another piece, then another, until the box was wrapping paper free. I opened the box. Inside was a light blue sweater, khaki pants that looked like they would be slightly baggy on me, and black leather gloves. I stared at the outfit for a moment and looked at Rei.  
  
"I think they're trying to hint at something, Kai," Rei giggled. "What you are wearing now looks like it'd be too cold for the winter weather. One of these days you're going to catch pneumonia, unless you wear something warmer."  
  
"I guess..." I hesitated, then let go of my pride for a brief moment. "I guess I'll have to thank them."  
  
Rei grinned from ear to ear and unwrapped his other two presents. From Kenny's small package he got an attack ring with sharp rigged edges on it that looked like it could cut through steel, and from Tyson he got a picture frame. Inside the picture frame was a picture of the Bladebreakers, with four other pictures under it.  
  
He put all of the wrapping paper in the bag I used to carry the packages in, then reached under his bed. "I got something for you, Kai... Did you think I forgot about you?" He took out a lumpy package and tossed it to me. "I made it myself."  
  
I caught it and looked at it questioningly. When I looked at Rei, he only nodded as if to say "go ahead." I looked back down at the package, then tore off the wrapping paper. I couldn't help but gasp at what was in it. I could feel my eyes widen.  
  
A beautifully made black silk scarf layed limp in my hands, the smoothness of it threatening to slide out of my hands. In slate blue was beautifully woven patterns that looked extremely difficult to weave. Involuntarily, my hands started to shake. I looked at Rei, and a pang of guilt hit me.  
  
All of my teammates, my comrades, my friends, had gotten me wonderful gifts, and I had nothing. Nothing to give them. But why didn't Rei look disappointed? He looked so happy. Happy that he had spent a great amount of his precious time to make something so beautiful to give to a cold bastard like me. But why?  
  
Realization hit me. I did have something. I set the scarf on Rei's dresser and leaned in closer to him, so that our noses were only a few inches away from each other. "I have something. For you. To give to you. But first..."  
  
Rei looked up at me questioningly. "Kai, not so close... I'm sick, remember? I don't want you to catch what I have."  
  
I ignored his remark. "Tell me what you think about me, and I'll give you your gift."  
  
Rei's amber eyes stared up into my crimson ones. "Well," he said slowly. "I think of you as a great leader... You're there for our team during the roughest times, and even though you don't act like it, I know you care about us all. Right?"  
  
"That's not what I meant, Rei." I leaned in closer and cupped my hand under his chin to keep him from looking away from me, which I knew he wanted to do. His eyes give away everything about him.  
  
The White Tiger slightly fidgeted and blinked. I smirked, and removed my hand, then pulled back away from the speechless boy.  
  
"Don't worry about it." I opened my cargo pocket and pulled the sleeping kitten out of it. Rei stared at it when I held it out to him. "This little runt followed me here. It's quite annoying."  
  
The kitten opened his eyes, yawned, and blinked sleepily at Rei. He giggled and lifted it from my hands.  
  
"She's cute, thanks Kai!"  
  
The furball struggled and jumped from Rei's hands and landed on his bed, then curled up and fell back asleep. What a lazy cat. But Rei just giggled again and stroked its fur. He looked so happy and carefree when he laughed. It made me want to learn how to be like that. To be happy like him. To truely smile.  
  
Again, I leaned towards Rei. He looked up at me, alert, waiting. I kept leaning in towards his face. Feeling have overwhelmed me, and I couldn't stop myself. When I wrapped my arms around his waist, his eyes widened.  
  
"Kai, I'm sick... Kai... Kai, what are you- Mmph!" His voice became muffled when my lips pressed up against his.  
  
  
  
It has been a week since the Christmas scenario, and Rei had finally gotten over his illness. But someone else had wound up sick... And it wasn't from the cold winter weather...  
  
Kai was lying on Rei's bed, staring at the ceiling. "I blame you." He sneezed.  
  
Rei giggled and put a tray in his laugh. "I told you I was sick, but you never listen to me! It's your own fault. Now eat up."  
  
"I don't feel like eating. I might throw it back up, thanks to you."  
  
Rei glared at Kai. "You're so stubborn! If you don't eat, it will take you longer to get better, and don't you want to get better, Kai?"  
  
"Whatever." He grabbed a kleenex and sneezed in it. "It's still your fault for being so damn sick and hot all at once."  
  
"It's not my fault I was born with good looks," Rei said, winking. "And anyway, with you wearing those thin clothing, you were bound to get sick anyway. When you are back to normal, you're wearing that new outfit. Capish?"  
  
"I hate you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
The End.  
  
Wow... ^_^' That was quite longer than I had intended... Ah well. Reviews are appreciated. ^_- *hint hint* Christmas shopping really got me into the spirit... Oh, and the reason why this fic was called A Kitten For You Thoughts, just incase you haven't figured it out, is that Kei wanted to know what Rei thought about him in exchange for the Kitten. A Kitten For Your Thoughts. Just think of the cliche "a penny for your thoughts." That's what I did when tryng to dream up a name for this. 


End file.
